Nelly, a prominent figure in the St. Louis rap scene, recently shared his perspective on the demanding landscape of hip-hop during his rise to fame in the early 2000s.
Appearing on LeBron James’ The Shop, Nelly delved into the hurdles he faced in establishing himself amidst a plethora of established stars. He highlighted the Grammy Awards’ oversight in recognizing rap talent, citing his album “Country Grammar” which sold five million copies but failed to secure a nomination for Best New Artist due to its release date in 2000.
Expressing admiration for Alicia Keys’ win in 2001, he acknowledged the challenges inherent in his journey, particularly originating from a city like St. Louis, which wasn’t as central to Hip Hop as New York, Los Angeles, or Atlanta at the time.
Nelly passionately asserted that his era was the most competitive in the history of Hip Hop. He recounted the fierce competition he faced from heavyweights like DMX, JAY-Z, Eminem, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and Ludacris, all vying for dominance in the industry.
According to him, the late 1990s to the early 2000s marked an unprecedented era where artists contended fiercely for recognition and airplay.
